Officials and VAR confirmed as Celtic travel to face Rangers at Ibrox

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Celtic fans will be excited that Glasgow Derby week is finally upon us as we await what will be a showpiece occasion at Ibrox on Sunday.

The Bhoys have won both of their previous meetings with Rangers this campaign, with Kyogo Furuhashi proving instrumental for Brendan Rodgers by scoring match-winning goals in either fixture.

Heading to Govan, we sit one point ahead of our arch-rivals; however, Philippe Clement’s outfit have played a game less, which has been rescheduled for next Wednesday away to Dundee.

Looking at the ramifications, Celtic could open up a four-point gap at the summit with a victory; meanwhile, a draw would still see us within touching distance at least, factoring in the reverse match against Rangers at Parkhead during the split.

Nevertheless, nothing but a victory will suffice in our hunt for the Scottish Premiership title as we aim to build on our three-game winning streak.

Callum McGregor is expected to return for the clash, which could see Tomoki Iwata drop to the bench despite his positive form.

Elsewhere, there aren’t too many selection dilemmas for Rodgers, though Nicolas Kuhn, Hyunjun Yang, and James Forrest have all put forward a compelling case to start on the right flank.

No away fans will be present, meaning anyone wanting to catch all the action in pubs or homes across the country will need to tune into Sky Sports Main Event or Sky Sports Football, where build-up commences at 11 am ahead of the action commencing at 12 noon [Sky Sports TV Schedule].

John Beaton appointed referee for Celtic’s trip to Ibrox

The headline news emerging today is that John Beaton has been appointed to referee Celtic’s trip to Ibrox and will be charged with keeping a lid on what is set to be a passionate affair, given there is so much at stake [Scottish FA].

Daniel McFarlane and Dougie Potter will assist the 42-year-old by patrolling either line; meanwhile, Willie Collum has been brought in as the fourth official on this occasion.

Nick Walsh has been assigned as the main VAR operative in Govan. Frank Connor is also on hand to cast a second pair of eyes over any incidents needing further scrutinisation.

Officiating rarely escapes without going under the microscope in the aftermath of any Glasgow Derby; however, let’s hope the football can be the main talking point as Celtic look to take another step towards claiming a third successive league title.